2011 NBA Mock Draft: Post NBA Lottery Edition, In Depth Analysis

With the NBA Lottery come and gone it is now time to look forward to the NBA draft itself.  With the draft order set here is an in-depth look at the fourteen lottery picks.  

I will look at both the strengths and weaknesses of each player followed by how they can help their teams.

Enjoy and don’t forget to comment if you disagree or think I missed someone.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, PG, 6’1

Kyrie Irving only played in 11 games due to injuries nonetheless; the numbers he did put up in those 11 games are quite impressive and that is why he is the consensus number one pick in this year’s draft.

Strengths:  Kyrie Irving is a pure point guard with excellent court vision, athleticism and quickness.  He shows a very good balance between passing and scoring.  On the scoring side he is an excellent penetrating point guard but also has a good jump shot with three point range that will only improve as he matures.  He has a very high basketball I.Q and is a good defender with the potential to become a lockdown defender as he develops.

His court vision and playmaking abilities as well as his ability to take on the scoring load when needed have drawn him comparisons to Chris Paul, whether or not he will live up to these comparisons is yet to be seen.

Weaknesses: He missed most of the last college season due to injury but other than that he has very few weaknesses.

How Kyrie Irving helps Cleveland:

Kyrie Irving will give the Cleveland Cavaliers a new hope.  On a team with so many holes, he fills perhaps the most important one of all, point guard.

Kyrie Irving is the type of player that a team can be built around, and that is exactly what Cleveland will try to do when they draft Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves: Enes Kanter, C/PF, 6’11

Many of you will be quite surprised not to see Derrick Williams here but I would argue that Enes Kanter, though he is not as talented as Williams, is nonetheless the better fit for Minnesota.

That being said, Minnesota could also take Derrick Williams second overall regardless and then trade him to the team that drafts Kanter.  This would allow them to get not only Kanter but also someone else as well.

Strengths:  Despite his excellent mid range jump shot Enes Kanter should in no way be described as a “soft European player”.  Rather, Kanter is a tough and physical Center/Power Forward who loves to bang down low with his great post game and his plethora of post moves to beat his defender.  He is also an excellent rebounder along with his good ball handling and passing skills.

Weaknesses: The biggest knock on Kanter would have to be his lack of athleticism and leaping ability; however, he is able to make up for this in part with his high basketball I.Q.  Aside from that, health could be an issue with Kanter but we will find out more on that come the draft combine.

How Enes Kanter helps Minnesota:

Minnesota already has Michael Beasley at the three and although I would argue that Derrick Williams would be an upgrade over Beasley I see Minnesota instead going with Enes Kanter at center in order to play alongside Kevin Love and take a bit of the burden off of him. 

If all goes well and Minnesota signs finally Ricky Rubio (they are reportedly as close as ever and it could be official within the next few weeks) they will enter next season with a starting rotation that has the potential to become something very special in a couple years.

3. Utah Jazz: Derrick Williams, SF/PF, 6’8

With Minnesota passing on Derrick Williams for Enes Kanter the Utah Jazz will certainly not hesitate to grab Derrick Williams with the third overall pick.  Williams will be a perfect replacement for Andrei Kirilenko who is expected to leave in free agency.

Strengths:

Derrick Williams can do just about everything.  He is very athletic, he can shoot the mid and long range jumper, drive to the rim, draw the contact and then beat you at the free throw line or he can just post you up.  Williams has a good understanding of the game, showing great shot selection and maturity and he can rebound and play good defense (which will only improve as he matures).

Weaknesses: Williams is considered by many to be a tweener and too undersized to play power forward at the NBA level.  That being said, I would argue that Derrick Williams would be far more successful at the small forward position regardless, in which case his size would be an asset not a weakness.

How Derrick Williams helps the Jazz:

With Andrei Kirilenko on his way this summer and Derrick Williams still on the board when Utah makes the third overall pick there is no way they will pass on him. 

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jonas Valenciunas, PF/C, 6’10

After solidifying the point guard position by selecting Kyrie Irving first overall the Cavs will take the Jonas Valenciunas to hold things down in the middle.

Strengths: Jonas Valenciunas is another player who is breaking the typcial mould of the European big man.  He lives down low where he has a very soft touch.  On the defensive end, he is a good shot blocker and rebounder.

Weaknesses: Unlike many European big men Valenciunas has a great inside game but must improve on his mid range shooting, other than that he is a great big man prospect and if he can add strength and toughness as he matures he will be just fine.

How Jonas Valenciunas helps Cleveland:

Jonas Valenciunas helps the Cavs by filling their hole at Center and giving them a dominant presence down low on offense as well as rebounding and shot blocking ability.

5. Toronto Raptors: Brandon Knight, PG, 6’3

With Enes Kanter and Jonas Valenciunas off the board the Raptors will sacrifice forget their need for a center and instead get their replacement for Jose Calderon and their point guard of the future.

Strengths: Brandon Knight does just about everything well.  He can score and pass and he is a good defender.  Combine that with his athleticism, high basketball I.Q and the fact that he can play either guard position and you have a very good pick at the point guard position that would help any team.

Weaknesses:  He will need to improve his consistency from behind the arc but other than that, it is hard to go wrong with Brandon Knight.

How Brandon Knight helps the Raptors:

Jose Calderon is no longer a part of the future of the Toronto Raptors and Jerryd Bayless is far better suited to play SG.  By drafting Brandon Knight the Raptors will be able to trade Jose Calderon and make Jerryd Bayless their sixth man once Barbosa is gone (either this year if he declines the player option or next year once he becomes an unrestricted free agent) as a backup to both DeMar DeRozan and Brandon Knight. 

Brandon Knight will be the Answer for the Raptors at the point guard position and he along with DeMar DeRozan will be the leaders of this young Raptors team moving forward. 

6. Washington Wizards: Kawhi Leonard, SF/SG, 6’7

The Wizards need a small forward and a center and unfortunately the cream of the crop at center (Kanter and Valenciunas) are no longer available as is the case at small forward (Derrick Williams).

That being said, Kawhi Leonard is certainly no player to scoff at, at the small forward position.  He has recently risen up the draft boards of ESPN’s Chad Ford, who considers Leonard to be top five pick worthy.

Strengths:  Kawhi Leonard is a very athletic wing player and an excellent rebounder with great leaping ability and a big body with a ton of length.  His offensive game is still developing but the size and athleticism are there for him and his offense as well as improved defense should come easily as he matures. 

Weaknesses: As mentioned earlier his offensive game has yet to fully develop. 

How Kawhi Leonard helps the Wizards:

He will not have an immediate impact in the NBA but given a year or two to develop and adjust he should be a great fit for the Wizards.

7. Sacramento Kings: Kemba Walker, PG, 6’1

The Sacramento will finally get their point guard, which will allow them to move Tyreke Evans to the two spot.

Strengths: Kemba Walker is very athletic.  He is incredibly quick and is just plain explosive when he is driving to the rim to either finish with the hoop or kick it out to a teammate.  I would not necessarily call him a lock down defender but he still averages many steals.  His jump shot has improved a lot and should only get better as he matures.  Finally, his heart and tenacity are rivalled by few others in this year’s draft.

Weaknesses: The biggest knock on Kemba Walker would have to be that he is undersized, which may or may not hurt his chances of being successful in the NBA.  Aside from that, he is more of a scorer than a passer, which hurts him since he is far too small to play SG.

How he helps Sacramento:

The Kings already have two talented young prospects at Power Forward with DeMarcus Cousins and at SG with former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans and they hope to sure up the PG position this summer by drafting Kemba Walker.

Bringing in Kemba Walker will allow Sacramento to move Tyreke Evans to his natural position at SG but the big question is whether these two scorers can find a way to co-exist.

8. Detroit Pistons: Bismack Biyombo, PF, 6’9

Detroit will look to the relatively unknown Bismack Biyombo of Congo who recently came out of nowhere and rose rapidly up NBA draft boards. 

Strengths: Bismack Biyombo is a long, athletic big man and a great defender as well as being a very good rebounder.  His offense could use some work but that will come in time.  

Weaknesses: As mentioned above, Biyombo will certainly need to improve on offense once he arrives in the NBA, that being said, he is still young and that will likely come as he matures.  Other than that, he is undersized at 6’9 but he makes up for that in part with his long wingspan.

How Bismack Biyombo helps Detroit:

Bismack Biyombo will team up with Greg Monroe in the front court to give the Pistons a combination of two tough big men with a lot of potential.

9. Charlotte Bobcats: Jan Vesely, PF/SF, 6’11

Jan Vesely can play either forward position and is a great fit for the Bobcats who could use a replacement for Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson.

Strengths:  Jan Vesely is a big athletic forward with a great jump shot and range beyond the three point line as well as the ability to ability to slash to the basket thanks in large part to his mix of size, athleticism and above average ball handling skills for a forward his size.

Weaknesses: If Vesely is to play power forward at the NBA level, he will have to get stronger and improve his post game.

How he helps the Bobcats:

The Bobcats are in need of a young PF/SF to replace the aging Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson and Jan Vesely just may be the answer.  That being said, it will be a couple year before get to see what Jan Vesely is truly capable of and whether or not he really is the answer for the Bobcats.

10. Milwaukee Bucks, Alec Burks, SG, 6’6

The Bucks will look to find a replacement for the aging Michael Redd and the average John Salmons by drafting shooting guard Alec Burks.

Strengths:  Alec Burks is a long and athletic penetrating shooting guard who can get to the rim with relative ease and finish strong with some big dunks.  He has a lot of potential and if he can improve his jump shot he will become a very deadly scorer.

Weaknesses:  As mentioned earlier, he must improve his jump shot and range.  Aside from that he could use some more strength and must learn to play better off the ball on offense.

How Alec Burks helps Milwaukee:

Alec Burks will not make an immediate impact in the NBA; however, he will without a doubt showcase his incredible ability to get to the basket with ease and then finish strong with his great leaping ability.

Once he develops a consistent jump shot, expect him to become a very talented player for the Bucks.

11. Golden State Warriors: Chris Singleton, SF, 6’9

The Warriors will look to add some defense and toughness to their game and may surprise some by selecting Chris Singleton 11^th overall.

Strengths:  Chris Singleton is one of if not the best perimeter defender in the draft.  He is long and athletic and possess a good mid range jumper as well as some three point range, though he is inconsistent from beyond the arc.

Weaknesses:  As mentioned above he is a streaky shooter from long range and he must also develop a post game in order to take advantage of his length and height.

How Chris Singleton helps Golden State

The Warriors are a horrible team defensively and they lack overall toughness.  Chris Singleton should be able to help the Warriors out in this department, expect him to be more of a role player and split time with Dorell Wright.

12. Utah Jazz: Kenneth Faried, PF, 6’8

The Jazz will use their second first rounder to take Power Forward Kenneth Faried who will give them a much needed boost in rebounding, considering they were ranked 26^th in the league this season.

Strengths: Kenneth Faried is one of if not he best rebounder in the draft.  He is very long and is a great leaper, this also allows him to block a lot of shots.

Weaknesses:  he is undersized for the power forward position but makes up for this in part with his length.  Must add strength and work on his offensive game which is still quite raw.

How Kenneth Faried helps Utah:

Faried will be a huge help on the glass and likely with his shot blocking ability as well.  Until he develops an offensive game he will be no more than a role player coming off the bench; however, he has been known to have a very good work ethic so I would not be surprised to seem him make the necessary improvements on offense to become a starter on Utah or a different team.

13. Phoenix Suns: Jimmer Fredette, PG, 6’2

Strengths and Weaknesses:

By now we should all know the story about Jimmer.  He is an excellent scorer and has a very good basketball I.Q.  That being said many expect him to struggle defensively at the NBA level and also be hindered by his lack of athletic ability.

How Jimmer Fredette helps the Phoenix Suns:

As man others have touched on before the Suns will eventually need a replacement for Steve Nash and if Aaron Brooks does not work out then they will look to have Jimmer as their backup plan. 

With Steve Nash as his mentor Jimmer should have no trouble adjusting to the NBA offensively but will he be hampered by his defense?

14. Houston Rockets: Donatas Motiejunas, PF, 7’0

With Yao Ming’s days in the NBA numbered and Chuck Hayes possibly leaving in free agency the Rockets will look to add some size and scoring at Center with Donatas Motiejunas.

Strengths:  Athletic big man with the ability to score around the basket with both hands combined with a good mid-range jumper.  He is also a good passer and has a high basketball I.Q.

Weaknesses:  Needs to add strength and improve his consistency from long range if he plans on adding that to his arsenal of offensive weapons.

How Donatas Motiejunas helps Houston:

Motiejunas brings size and scoring at Center.

Toronto Raptors: Bryan Colangelo agrees to Multi-Year Extension

According to Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star (http://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/nba/raptors/article/992812--feschuk-gm-colangelo-agrees-to-multi-year-extension-with-raptors?bn=1 ) Bryan Colangelo, two time NBA Executive of the year and current President and General Manager of the Toronto Raptors has confirmed that he agreed to a multi year extension with the Toronto Raptors.

The complete details of the contract are yet to be announced but it is reportedly expected to be a two year deal with a team option for a third year which will be heavily influenced by the performance of the team in the first two year’s.

In an attempt to decipher whether this was a good or a bad move for the Raptors, I will look at the short and long-term impact of the Colangelo signing.

Short Term: Good signing…

In the short term, with the upcoming NBA draft I think this is certainly a good signing for the Raptors, especially if they do not end up with the first or second overall pick in tonight’s lottery.  

Now that Colangelo has a fresh new extension, he is guaranteed to be the man in charge come draft day.  When we look at Colangelo’s recent draft success (Ed Davis, DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani who no matter how much I knock him now was still a good pick at the time considering the lack of talent in that draft) he is certainly the man I want in charge. 

This is especially true when you consider how important this year’s draft will be for the Raptors rebuilding efforts.

Long Term…  Looks to be a good signing but we will have to wait and see

After losing Chris Bosh in free agency last summer it was clear that the Raptors would have to enter a legit rebuilding stage if they wanted to achieve any success in the future.  I am convinced that Bryan Colangelo is committed to this rebuilding process and I think he is the best man for the job.

Since losing Bosh to free agency Bryan Colangelo has made four big moves that prove he is committed to the rebuild…   

1.     Signing Amir Johnson long term: Though Amir will never be an NBA All-Star he is certainly a great young prospect at power forward with a well-rounded game.  Amir is worth every dollar.

2.     He successfully got himself out of his mistake signing of the underachieving Hedo Turkoglu and his four-year $10 million plus contract.  In doing so, he also brought in former sixth man of the year Leandro Barbosa. 

3.     He traded for Jerryd Bayless, a former 11^th overall pick who is yet to reach his full potential and has a bright future ahead of him (more so as a shooting guard, not as a point guard).

4.     He traded for James Johnson, an athletic small forward, great defender and a former 16^th overall pick who was buried in the Chicago Bulls depth chart and was not given the opportunity to show what he can do.

As mentioned, these moves demonstrate Colangelo’s commitment to acquiring young prospects and freeing up cap space.  If he can continue to make these types of deals and successfully lock up the core members of the team for long term (i.e: DeMar DeRozan, Ed Davis etc…) then he should have no trouble getting the Raptors out of this rebuilding stage and back into the playoffs.

Final Thoughts:

In his time with the Raptors thus far Colangelo has made his fair share of mistakes.  On the other hand, he has also done many good things to help this franchise, which I would argue greatly outweigh his shortcomings.

That being said, if Colangelo is to get this Raptors team through this rebuild and lead them back to the playoffs he must do these same things and more.

For the estimated two to three years of his extension, Bryan Colangelo will have to focus on three things in order to…

a) Keep his job and

b) Get the Raptors in to contention for an NBA title. 

Here is what he will need to do…

1. Draft well and continue to build through the draft

2. Continue to free up cap space in order to ensure that the Raptors are a big player in free agency.

3. Lock up the core players long term (DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis) and do everything possible to keep the team exciting and maintain fan support despite the necessary losing records that are characteristic of a rebuilding team.

Don’t forget to tune in to tonight’s NBA Draft Lottery! Good luck Raptors!

NBA Trade Deadline: Toronto Raptors Acquire James Johnson From Chicago Bulls, Was It a Good Move?

Jay Triano hinted that any moves the Toronto Raptors make before the deadline will be made in order to help the team in the future. This means we should not expect to see the Raptors involved in any blockbuster deadline moves, and instead we will see deals more along the lines of the one that took place earlier today.


The Toronto Raptors have traded the Miami Heat 2011 first round pick they acquired in the Chris Bosh sign and trade to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for 6'9'', SG/SF James Johnson.


Johnson was selected 16^th overall in the 2009 draft by the Chicago Bulls, however, he was unable to lock up a spot in the starting rotation and ended up on a stint in the D league due to a lack of production. Nevertheless, in his defense, he averaged a dismal 11.3 minutes per game with the Bulls.


By not really shining in Chicago, Johnson was given limited minutes and few occasions to prove his worth. However, with the Raptors this will not be the case. His potential will not be lost on the Raptors, and he will be given ample opportunity to prove himself.


Standing 6'9'' and weighing 245 pounds with quite the wingspan, Johnson can play either the two spot as a backup for DeMar DeRozan or play the three spot, either competing with Sonny Weems/Linas Kleiza for a spot in the starting rotation or as his backup.


Speaking of DeMar, he actually seems to be quite high on this guy.
When asked who the Raptors may have taken had he not been available DeRozan suggested that Johnson would have been the one.


DeRozan also stressed the versatility of his former draft mate, saying that he thinks he will fit in well on this team.


I will trust what DeRozan had to say, and Bryan Colangelo seems to feel the same. Colangelo admitted that Johnson was one of the players the Raptors had their eye on in the 2009 draft, emphasizing the strength, athleticism and versatility of Johnson.


As for how Johnson actually plays the game, I still have to read more and I may even have to wait until I see him play a couple games with the Raps.


Nevertheless, at the moment I am under the impression that he plays much like DeRozan. If this is in fact the case then I think playing alongside DeRozan will be very beneficial for him and his development into a legitimate player in the NBA.


My Reaction to the trade:


My first reaction to this trade was actually disappointment.
I am well aware that this draft will not be very deep when it comes to overall talent. Nevertheless, I think it offers quite a large selection of small forwards and centers, which happens to be the Raptors biggest weaknesses, position-wise.


Therefore, I was really looking forward to having two first round picks this year, and I was definitely hoping the Raptors would select a star small forward with the lottery pick. Then, with the Miami pick, I was hoping they would take a defensive-minded center to either backup or replace Andrea Bargnani, allowing him to move to the power forward position.


However, after allowing myself a little time to research James Johnson I am beginning to think this deal may not be all that bad for the Raptors. The Raptors are getting a young player who deserves a second chance to prove himself. His versatility will help the injury riddled Raptors, and I think this fresh start will do wonders for his game.


That being said, Johnson is certainly not our “small forward of the future,” whom I expect we will find in this year’s draft. As a result, excluding the remainder of this season (provided we do in fact draft a SF with our lottery pick), Johnson will remain a backup SG/SF with the potential to become a sixth man type player once Barbosa is gone.


Conclusion:


Finally, I think there is one important thing we can take from this trade—with the acquisition of James Johnson, Sonny Weems and his expiring contract become even more expendable.


It would be a wise move for the Raptors to try and trade Weems before the deadline because he could get them a good piece in return, and I do not think he is a part of the future of the team.


If Sonny Weems is not traded before the deadline, and if Johnson plays well for the remainder of the season, I think we should just let Sonny Weems go because he would most likely be looking for a long term contract, like the one Amir Johnson signed, and this would not be in the best interest of the team following this trade for James Johnson.


Regardless, it all depends on how Johnson plays for the rest of this season, so now we can only wait and see what happens.

Seven Reasons Why Ricky Rubio Would Be a Great Fit for the Toronto Raptors

There has been quite a bit of confusion over the whole situation with Ricky Rubio, and a lot of people are wondering what happened/is happening with him, when he could possible be coming to the NBA, and then of course, once he arrives, where he will play. 



Well, here are the answers to those questions to the best of my knowledge.  According to what I have read, the earliest he could come to the NBA is the 2011/2012 season, because he has a buyout option in his current contract with FC Barcelona.    



However, if he were to decide to come over and play in the NBA next season, it would have to be with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it is still unknown whether or not he actually wants to play in Minnesota. 
With this being the case, it is quite likely that Minnesota will try to trade him while his value is still high.  If this happens, I suggest that the Raptors make a strong push to acquire him, if the price is right. 



However, Rubio could also wait another two years, which brings us to the 2012/2013 season, by which point he would become a free agent and would be free to undergo negotiations with teams that are not the called the Minnesota Timberwolves.  Therefore, if we would like to wait two more years we could and should make ourselves one of those teams.


Okay, so I hope you guys understood everything from the first slide. It is a lot of information to take in at one time, and honestly, there is still a lot more to it than what I explained, I just didn’t want to draw it out too long, so nonetheless, following this is my little disclaimer and then I will get started.



Alright, since I am unsure as to whether or not all of this will actually happen, and I do not know exactly what Minnesota would be asking for in return if they were to trade him next year, I haven’t really spent too much time thinking about what we may have to offer the T-Wolves in exchange for Rubio’s services; however, what I have been doing is taking the time to think about the top seven reasons why I think Rubio would be a great fit for the Raps.


So here they are, in no real specific order...


7. He Wants To Play on the East Coast



Apparently, Ricky Rubio has stated that he would like to play on the East Coast, and I have even heard that he has expressed interest in coming to Toronto. 



This is excellent news for us, because it means that we already have our foot in the door. When you consider the other six reasons I am going to mention, I think we would have a pretty good chance of landing him either this coming season via trade with Minnesota or the year after that by signing him as a free agent.


6. Point Guard of the Future



Now, I know we already have Jerryd Bayless, who has been labeled as our possible point guard of the future, but, Rubio does have some great potential.  He hasn’t really been able to live up to the huge amount of hype he had received; however, in his defence, he has been being examined through a very critical lens, which tends to focus on the wrong areas of his game.



Rubio is the definition of pass first point guard, and that is exactly how he plays.  He is committed to his team, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to win with little if any concern for individual stats.  He plays a much more team based game than most point guards in the NBA today. 



Because of this, it is hard to rate his play by simply looking at his statistics.  Much like Reggie Evans, he is the type of player who does the small things that don’t necessarily show up on the stat sheets, yet they add up and certainly pay off big in the long run. 



Much as Reggie Evans injects the Raptors with energy, Ricky Rubio offers a high basketball I.Q combined with superb court vision and awareness both on offense and defence.


5. He Plays Defence



Speaking of defence, because of his high Basketball I.Q and his above average length at his position, he is more than able to shut down opposing point guards. 



Ricky Rubio is 6’4" and has a wingspan of 6’9”.  He understands the game very well, and he is great at reading plays and anticipating what others team will do on offense.  This makes it much easier for him to interrupt plays and often times come up with the steal.   



Furthermore, defence is one area that has notoriously been a problem for the Raptors. If they plan on contending at some point in the near future, it is necessary that they have a good defensive PG to compete with teams like the Celtics and Bulls, who have superstar guards Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose.



** Rubio has won at least one defensive award while playing in Europe, and he has also led his league in steals on at least one occasion.   


4. International Flavour



I use this every time I am considering reasons why any international player should come to Toronto; however, it is with good reason.  Toronto is a very multicultural city.  This really helps international players by facilitating the transition period and also by helping them feel at home in a foreign country. 



This “International flavour” also applies to the team itself.  The Toronto Raptors are a very diverse team with six international players, good enough for tops in the league.  This would make the transition process on and off the court much easier for Rubio because there are six other guys who have experienced the same thing and will be able to help him through it.        


3. Jose Calderon


Of the six international players I mentioned in the last slide, the most important one would have to be Jose Calderon.  Calderon would certainly be a key part of our effort to convince Rubio to come to Toronto.  Furthermore, I think Calderon has a lot to offer his fellow Spaniard as he would serve as a mentor for him and guide him both on and off the court. 



Calderon is more than capable of running the Toronto offense, and here’s hoping that he can help Rubio develop into the same type of player.  In addition, Calderon is an excellent jump shooter, particularly from behind the three-point line, which is the area of greatest weakness for Rubio.  So hopefully, Calderon would help him work on this, and also, between Calderon and Barbosa, they could even help Rubio improve when it comes to his ability successfully finish at the basket.  



However, in the end, this would all depend on how willing Jose Calderon is to once again share/surrender the starting point guard job in Toronto, as well as how willing Rubio would be to either share the starting job with Calderon or to split minutes with him as his backup. 



However, one quality that I have seen in both of these men is their willingness to take a back seat if it gives the team a better chance to win.  Jose did this for several years without any complaints, and I think Rubio would do the same until it comes time for him to take over.  



2. He Understands the Game



As I have stressed throughout this entire article, Ricky Rubio possess superb court vision and he has a very high basketball I.Q.  As a result, he will undoubtedly make everyone around him better.   




His ability to find the open man and the open passing lane ranks up there with the best of them.  As a result, he has drawn comparisons to NBA greats such as “Pistol” Pete Maravich as well as current pure point guard stars like Steve Nash.   




It takes a lot to be compared to guys like Pistol Pete and Steve Nash; however, in this case, I feel that Rubio is deserving of the comparisons.  It will undoubtedly take a year or two for him to adjust to the league, but once all is said and done, I think he will end up finishing his career à la Steve Nash: an underrated player throughout the beginning of his career, but he will certainly finished strong near the end of it, like Nash is doing right now. 



So, here’s hoping he is still a Raptor when that happens.


1. He Wants to Win and He Knows How to Do It



Ricky Rubio knows how to win.  He was a member of the gold medal Spanish National team in the FIBA Europe under 16 championship in 2006, he won the Euro Cup championship with Joventut in 2008 and he also won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 



Rubio wants to win and he wants to play with the best players in the world.  This is why I know that he will end up in the NBA sooner rather than later. 



Also, it is important to note that the Raptors are not a team with an undisputed star that we can depend on game in and game out to put the team on his shoulders and get the win for us.  Instead, we have several guys who work together to get the job done, and although they may not each be at their best every game, they are starting to learn how to compensate for each other when someone else is struggling.   Although it has not translated into many wins this season, I think it will soon enough. 



The Raptors will remain like this for years to come, and Rubio’s team first mentality and his ability to make everyone on the team play better go perfectly with the way this team functions.     


Final Thoughts



In the end, I think Ricky Rubio would be a great addition to our team, especially if we are able to get him for cheap.  I think he is extremely un-selfish, especially considering how much this is evident in the way he plays the game.  Furthermore, I don’t think he would mind splitting time with Jose and I feel he would fit in very well with the team’s chemistry. 




Also, I completely disagree with the way he has sometimes been portrayed as a selfish and cocky player who refused to play for a team like Minnesota because he wanted to be drafted by a big market team like LA or New York.  There is much more to his decision, such as his contractual issues with his former team, and he also needed to consider what was best for him and his family. 




Off the court, I see Ricky Rubio being a very loyal and humble person, such as Jose Calderon (not only because they are both from Spain, I actually see a lot of similarities between the two that go far beyond their common nationality), or Steve Nash, to whom he has also drawn comparisons on the court.




If we were to acquire Ricky Rubio, we would have a solid young team with lots of potential at each position (assuming we draft a bright young SF with our lottery pick in this year’s draft).  So, all we will have to do after that is to wait and hope that all of that potential will translate into success.


Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to comment.